RAF fighter plane numbers to reach 'all-time low' (since 1918)

BBC News ^ | 22 July 2015

[sukhoi-30mki]

The number of RAF fighter planes is set to fall to the lowest in its history, defence experts have warned.

Defence analysis group IHS Jane's said the RAF could be left with 127 combat jets by the end of the decade as 87 Tornados and the first tranche of 53 Typhoon jets are due to be retired.

It would leave the RAF with its fewest number of fighter planes since 1918.

The Ministry of Defence said the RAF "has and will have" the aircraft it needs to meet its global commitments.

The government also says it is increasing the defence budget and will replace the older Tornados with the F-35B.

It has only bought eight of these so far and the aircraft are not due to be at "full operating capability" until 2023.

Defence chiefs have already warned the RAF is stretched and the analysis says that further loss of UK airpower would seem "perverse".

Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton last week described the RAF as at the "very limits of its fast jet availability".

[Flintlock]

Sayin’ so don’t make it so.

[Yo-Yo]

My how time flies. I can’t believe that the first tranche of Typhoons are ready for retirement.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Premature retirement as they don’t want to upgrade them.

[Rummyfan]

So the Royal Navy is building a new carrier that they are going to have neither crew nor aircraft for.

[central_va]

How’s their tank doing?

[2banana]

Note to England.

The American military has been decimated under obama.

We cannot and will not defend you anymore.

[aegiscg47]

Actually, this is a trend going on across the globe except in the South China Sea where everyone is arming to the teeth for the inevitable clash over gas, fishing, and minerals in that area. Most countries have seen major cutbacks in their armed forces, spending money on refurbishing older weapons rather than buying new ones, and few countries are investing in major weapons systems.

It seems like the trend is to let the U.S. carry the load, particularly in logistics, unless you're faced with the threat of Chinese expansion. In that case, i.e., Japan, Australia, etc., you better start buying anything that you can.

[KC_Conspirator]

I would say that countries in the SCS are re-arming themselves because of China’s aggression, North Korean aggression, and Obama’s America letting them know that we are not reliable allies and have a leader who chooses evil over good.